Microsoft Windows 8 and RT Cross Compatibility Rumors Surface

— February 11, 2013

Well the week of “oops” moments continues apparently!

Eagle eye Pocket Now readers pointed out that a recent Microsoft Job listing was looking for a software engineer that might have slipped up and told a little too much about their roadmap. The listing hinted at creating APIs which would unify Windows 8 and Windows Phone application. It then went on to specifically say that they wanted to bring much of the WinRT API and .NET functionality to Windows Phone.

If this announcement is true, it would strongly imply that Microsoft is looking to unify their entire ecosystem in to one API. This also implies that MS wants to make apps very cross compatible. You could publish one application which would include the ability to be run on Win8, RT, and Windows Phone.

This type of cross platform ecosystem is something that the mobile market has really needed for a long time. If Windows can pull it off, it would definitely set them ahead. Android’s “Fragment” API is trying something similar by including different UI for different screen sizes while including the same functionality. Android’s approach is good, but Microsoft has the ecosystem to make this cross compatibility run across the majority of devices people use, from high power desktop PCs, to tablets, to game systems like the Xbox 360, all the way down to the Windows phone. It would be a great idea and if Microsoft wants to save their platforms, they need to find some really intriguing and innovative ideas.

Eagle eye Pocket Now readers pointed out that a recent Microsoft Job listing was looking for a software engineer that might have slipped up and told a little too much about their roadmap. The listing hinted at creating APIs which would unify Windows 8 and Windows Phone application. It then went on to specifically say that they wanted to bring much of the WinRT API and .NET functionality to Windows Phone.

If this announcement is true, it would strongly imply that Microsoft is looking to unify their entire ecosystem in to one API. This also implies that MS wants to make apps very cross compatible. You could publish one application which would include the ability to be run on Win8, RT, and Windows Phone.

This type of cross platform ecosystem is something that the mobile market has really needed for a long time. If Windows can pull it off, it would definitely set them ahead. Android’s “Fragment” API is trying something similar by including different UI for different screen sizes while including the same functionality. Android’s approach is good, but Microsoft has the ecosystem to make this cross compatibility run across the majority of devices people use, from high power desktop PCs, to tablets, to game systems like the Xbox 360, all the way down to the Windows phone. It would be a great idea and if Microsoft wants to save their platforms, they need to find some really intriguing and innovative ideas.